Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunting Rifles Last rifle.

Little brother to the ‘06 for playing....

I did this in 308, starting with a Remington Model 700 Package Rifle (https://www.remington.com/rifles/bol...ynthetic-scope).

I replaced the bases with Nikon Weaver-style bases. Remington 150-gr. CoreLokt and Winchester 150-gr. Power Points both went sub-MOA with velocities over 2,800 fps, so I was happy. I wanted to make as few mods as possible, but I also wanted a shorter barrel, better groups if I could get them, and the ability to shoot with a tight sling without the POI shifting.

I was referred to Brett Evans of NW Armswerkes (https://www.facebook.com/pages/categ...3136081456406/) so I had him cut the barrel to 22”, bed it into an HS Precision stock, and provide factory BDL-style bottom metal. He also determined that this rifle was actually chambered for 7.62 NATO and that grinding 0.005” off of the recoil lung would make it a 308 as marked. 12 days later he called and told me that the work was done.

• With bases but without optics, it weighs 6.92 pounds as opposed to 6.51 before (and the 6.3 of a Tikka) and the balance is a bit farther aft.
• Weight with a 4x Leupold (shown) is 7 pounds, 11 ounces—heavier than a lot of options but it balances well. It's also easier to shoot well than a flyweight.
• About 2/3 of the barrel lettering is below the stock line due to the recoil lug modification. Not ideal but not a deal breaker.
• I can definitely feel the shorter chamber—closing the bolt on RP factory ammo reveals a very snug fit that wasn't there before, and I can’t close the bolt at all on some handloads that were a snug fit before.

It shoots better in initial load testing, but my bench technique has improved significantly since then. It’s now sub-MOA with a lot of loads and sub .5 MOA with several others.

If I had it all to do over again, I wouldn’t change a thing.

Tikkas are the only rifles I’ve owned that run right out of the box with no adjustment. They're nice but I don't care for detachable magazines. Someday they’ll quit making Tikka mags and then you’ll have a rifle that can suddenly become an awkward single-shot with a big hole in the bottom. Also, check prices on a M-88 Winchester, Tikka 695, or anything else with a detachable mag both with and without mags.

I didn’t plan for this little Remington to be my last rifle but justifying others gets harder every time I shoot it. I might build myself a spare, though…


Okie John

Tom, dat pig's been rolling in some clay! I can't enlarge this: what's the scope?

69 in December,
I'm still just one rifle away from being satisfied.

LOL,

GWB

Another Tikka fan here. If I were in your shoes, I’d go with a. T3x SS in 270, or if you handload, 30-06 (factory fodder is seriously under loaded).

I've got 3 Bergara's from their entry/B-14 line and have handled their Premier series. The B-14 series is smooth and the Premier series is even better. The Premier series also come with a Triggertech from the factory so no upgrade needed. The barrels area a heavier contour so they weigh 1/2 to 1 lb more than Tikka's. All mine shoot well at under an inch easily and the 300WM tossing 0.3" groups with handloads.

That said I've also got a couple Tikka's and with their weight and accuracy they are hard to beat! If in tight quarters I'll take the Tikka over Bergara as it maneuvers easier being lighter.

By the time you buy a Tikka or R700 and put an aftermarket stock on it you're in the Bergara Premier series along with Christensen Mesa (not sure of chamberings). Lots of great options and don't think you'll be disappointed by any of them. Shoulder and handle them, buy the one that feels the best.

Agreed. 54 and I still have several I'll be buying.

Zero Stop (vs Zero resettable) means you can turn the turret and it will stop at Zero. Zero resettable means you can set your turrets for that load and zero it (usually by removing the turret and positioning it to zero)

If you will shooting at 400+ yards, it's a nice to have to dialing in your ballistics and then resetting after the shot. I've switched over to mail/moa reticles first/ second plane it really doesn't matter to me.

"Last rifle" is only something you tell your wife!!! My vote is for tikka as well. Lite or superlite, makes no difference to me. If you want to upgrade it, throw it in a McMillan edge.

"Last rifle" at 50?

At 50 I had one big game rifle, a 7mm RM, a .22-250. .44 Mag carbine and a .22LR.. At 69-1/2 I have a safe full of rifles and am in the process of building another. Life doesn't end at 50.

I hope not !! LOL

I think a lot of us changed things up a bit after we joined this site

T storm

I have 2 Tikkas, pictured above. P 2 ... no need for aftermarket stock !

? ? ?


Jerry

Hard to argue against a Tikka. They just plain shoot with no fuss, no tweaks, just mount a good scope and you’re done. They are pretty darn light and have a decent factory stock, not great but definitely a step above most factory tupaware you see now days.

That being said my latest rifle purchase was a Browning Hells Canyon Speed. I bought it over a T3x Superlite just to try something different. It should be in later this week. The X Bolt series of rifle from Browning don’t get a lot of love here but they are accurate and on the lighter side as well.

Mike that's a Minox ZV-3 I got from Doug at a screaming deal.

The BDC lines match up my load exactly out to 400 yards, scope is bright, clear and has excellent eye relief.

Easily one of my favorites..

Me too.

OP, in my opinion, you've described the one at this link, for the most part:
https://www.24hourcampfire.com/ubbt...ts-rem-1st-gen-ti-in-7mm-08#Post15272849

What a bunch of 'enablers' !

I coonfingered a Christensen Mesa the other day and was favorably impressed.


Okie John

For me it had more to do with my three daughters graduating college debt free.

All about K.I.S.S. for me. Too much stuff, too many other things to do. Family at the top of the list. 223, 243, 30-06. Rifles rigged up the way I like, good stash of ammo, grab a toy and play when time allows.